Montenegro defender Miodrag backs Rooney

Montenegro defender Miodrag Dzudovic has written to UEFA calling for leniency for Wayne Rooney as the England striker awaits his 2012 European Championships fate, reports said Saturday.

Wayne Rooney

Rooney's chances of starring at Euro 2012 could be scuppered by a three-match ban handed down by UEFA after the Manchester United star's sending-off for kicking Dzudovic in their final qualifier earlier this month.

According to the Daily Mail, Dzudovic has teamed up with Russian sports paper Soviet Sport and written to UEFA to plead for leniency for Rooney should England's FA appeal the sanction.

The letter reportedly said: "Miodrag would like to underline that he didn't notice any signs of aggression in Rooney's actions. In his opinion the England national team player was driven by emotions and it was an act of desperation rather than anger."